(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a toilet supply water supply control unit. In particular, the present invention relates to a toilet flush water supply control unit wherein heated water which has cooled down in the plumbing system is used to flush the toilet. The control unit contains a valve to turn on the unit and a thermostatic device within the unit to allow cool water in the heated water piping system to enter the toilet flush tank and then to prevent hot water in the piping system from entering the toilet flush tank.
In the standard plumbing systems, hot water is supplied from a hot water source, usually a hot water heater through the hot water piping system and into the hot water faucet. Once the hot water faucet is shut off new hot water is no longer entering the system. Therefore, the hot water remaining in the piping system is left to cool down. Thus, when the hot water faucet is once again turned on, the cool water in the piping system must be drained out before new hot water from the hot water supply can reach the faucet. Normally, the cool water is unwanted and is allowed to run down the drain unused.
To prevent the waste of the cool water in the hot water piping system, a thermostatic valve with a control unit is located between the hot water faucet and the toilet flush tank. When the control unit is in the on position, flushing the toilet causes the cool water to flow through the hot water piping system and into the toilet flush tank. Drainage of the cool water into the toilet flush tank allows new hot water to reach the thermostatic device within the control unit. Upon sensing the hot water, the thermostatic device closes preventing the hot water from entering the toilet flush tank. At that point, all cool water is out of the hot water piping system. Therefore, when any hot water faucets in the bathroom are turned on, hot water is immediately available.
(2) Prior Art
The prior art has described several plumbing systems for conserving water through the use or reuse of normally wasted water. Illustrative of water conservation plumbing systems are U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,318,449 to Jennings et al; 3,995,327 to Hendrick; 4,554,688 to Puccerella and 4,924,536 to Houghton.
Jennings et al describes a water reuse system. Drainage water from the sink, bathtub, etc. which is slightly impure, is fed through a layered filter and into a main storage tank. From the main storage tank the filtered water is either sent to a toilet flush tank or an auxiliary flush tank in order to reuse the filtered water to flush the toilet. The filtered water in the main storage tank may also be diverted for other uses where the purity of the water is not an essential element.
Hendrick describes an automated toilet system wherein the toilet flush tank has an inner and outer tank. The inner tank is filled by drainage water directly from a sink or drinking fountain and is supplemented by the water in the outer tank when needed to flush the toilet.
Puccerella describes a water saving system wherein a sensor determines the temperature of the water immediately upstream from the faucet. In order to achieve a predetermined water temperature at the faucet, the sensor opens a valve which allows the cooled down water in the pipes to be diverted back to the hot water heater to be reheated. The sensor closes the feedback valve once the water has reached the desired temperature.
Houghton describes a water conservation system wherein cooled down water in the pipes is diverted to a storage tank for use in supplying the toilet flush tank for flushing the toilet. The water is diverted by a manually operated valve or a time delay valve which is closed once it has been estimated that enough time has passed to empty the pipes of the cooled water.
In addition, other prior art references, including Puccerella above, describe the use of thermostatic devices to regulate the temperature of the water to a faucet. Illustrative are U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,133,057 to Rivetti and 4,778,104 to Fisher.
None of the above devices create a system of conserving water which is easily and economically installed in an existing plumbing system and is automatically controlled by the temperature of the water thereby reducing the need for human interaction and producing the added benefit of having hot water instantly.